RECEIVER FOR NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION AND WIRELESS POWER FUNCTIONALITIES

• US 20120149301A1
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wiley, George A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to a coexistence of NFC and wireless power functionalities. A device may include an antenna configured to receive a signal. The device may further include a communication circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in a default mode of operation. The device may further include a wireless power circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a signal;

a communication circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in a default mode of operation; and

a wireless power circuit configured to selectively couple to the antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit comprises a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one switching element configured to selectively couple the communication circuit to the antenna and selectively couple the wireless power circuit to the antenna.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the at least one switching element is configured to selectively decouple the wireless power circuit from the antenna in the default mode of operation and selectively decouple the NFC circuit from the antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal has a frequency, and wherein the device further comprises a frequency detector configured to detect that the signal is provided to power or charge a load based on the frequency.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a controller coupled to the frequency detector and configured to convey one or more signals to the at least one switching element to selectively couple the communication circuit to the antenna and selectively couple the wireless power circuit to the antenna based on a frequency value received from the frequency detector.

7. The device of claim 3, further comprising a controller configured to convey one or more signals to the at least one switching element to selectively decouple the communication circuit from the antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

8. The device of claim 3, further comprising a controller configured to convey one or more signals to the at least one switching element to selectively decouple the wireless power circuit from the antenna in response to detecting that the signal is not provided to power or charge a load.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the frequency detector is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the antenna and the wireless power circuit.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna tuning element coupled between the antenna and the communication circuit.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna tuning and filter element coupled between the antenna and the wireless power circuit.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to selectively couple the wireless power circuit to the antenna in response to both detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load and to determining that a portion of the signal is not provided for communication such that priority is given to coupling the wireless power circuit to the antenna when the signal is provided for communication.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, and wherein the communication circuit is configured to selectively couple to the first antenna in the default operation, and wherein the wireless power circuit is configured to selectively decouple from the second antenna in the default operation, and wherein the communication circuit is configured to selectively decouple from the first antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load, and wherein the wireless power circuit is configured to selectively couple to the second antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the frequency detector is coupled to each of the first and second antenna.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the frequency detector is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz of the second antenna.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the second antenna and the wireless power circuit.

18. The device of claim 14, further comprising an antenna tuning element coupled between the first antenna and the communication circuit and a filter element coupled between the second antenna and the wireless power circuit.

19. A method, comprising:

operating a communication circuit in a default mode; and

activating a wireless power circuit in response to detecting that a received signal is provided to power or charge a load.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communication circuit comprises a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein operating the communication circuit comprises coupling the communication circuit to an antenna and decoupling the wireless power circuit from the antenna.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein activating the wireless power circuit comprises coupling the wireless power circuit to an antenna and decoupling the communication circuit from the antenna.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein activating the wireless power circuit comprising coupling the wireless power circuit to an antenna and activating protection circuit configured to prevent the signal from being received by the communication circuit.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising detecting a frequency of the signal, and wherein activating the wireless power circuit comprises activating the wireless power circuit in response to detecting that a received signal is provided to power or charge a load based on the detected frequency.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein detecting a frequency of the signal comprises detecting a frequency of the signal of substantially 6.78 MHz.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising decoupling the communication circuit from an antenna upon the detecting of the signal at the frequency.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising deactivating the wireless power circuit upon detecting an absence of the signal at the frequency.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising activating the wireless power circuit in response to both detecting that a received signal is provided to power or charge a load and detecting that a portion of the received signal is not provided for communications such that priority is given when the signal is provided for communication.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

detecting a second signal provided for communication; and

deactivating the wireless power circuit and operating the communication circuit based on the detecting of the second signal such that priority is given to the second signal.

30. A device, comprising:

means for receiving a signal;

means for communication configured to selectively couple to the means for receiving a signal in a default mode of operation; and

means for wirelessly receiving power configured to selectively couple to the means for receiving a signal in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the means for receiving a signal comprises an antenna.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein the means for communication comprises a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

33. The device of claim 30, wherein the means for wirelessly receiving power comprises a wireless power circuit.

34. The device of claim 30, further comprising means for selectively coupling the communication circuit to the means for receiving a signal and means for selectively coupling the wireless power circuit to the means for receiving a signal.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the means for selectively coupling comprises a switching element.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the means for selectively coupling is configured to selectively decouple the means for wirelessly receiving power from the means for receiving a signal in the default mode of operation and selectively decouple the means for communication from the antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

37. The device of claim 34, wherein the signal has a frequency, and wherein the device further comprises means for detecting a frequency configured to detect that the signal is provided to power or charge a load based on the frequency.

38. The device of claim 37, further comprising means for conveying one or more signals to the means for selectively coupling to selectively couple the means for communication to the means for receiving a signal and selectively couple the means for wirelessly receiving power to the means for receiving a signal based on a frequency value received from the means for detecting a frequency.

39. The device of claim 30, further comprising means for conveying one or more signals to the means for selectively coupling to selectively decouple the means for communication from the means for receiving a signal in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

40. The device of claim 30, further comprising means for conveying one or more signals to the means for selectively coupling to selectively decouple the means for wirelessly receiving power from the means for receiving a signal in response to detecting that the signal is not provided to power or charge a load.

41. The device of claim 37, wherein the means for detecting a frequency is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz.

42. The device of claim 30, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the antenna and the wireless power circuit.

43. The device of claim 30, further comprising means for tuning coupled between the means for receiving a signal and the means for communication.

44. The device of claim 30, further comprising means for tuning and means for filtering coupled between the means for receiving a signal and the means for wirelessly receiving power.

45. The device of claim 30, further comprising means for selectively coupling the means for wirelessly receiving power to the means for receiving a signal in response to both detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load and to determining that a portion of the signal is not provided for communication such that priority is given to coupling the means for wirelessly receiving power to the means for receiving a signal when the signal is provided for communication.

46. The device of claim 30, wherein the means for receiving a signal comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, and wherein the means for communication is configured to selectively couple to the first antenna in the default operation, and wherein the means for wirelessly receiving power is configured to selectively decouple from the second antenna in the default operation, and wherein the means for communication is configured to selectively decouple from the first antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load, and wherein the means for wirelessly receiving power is configured to selectively couple to the second antenna in response to detecting that the signal is provided to power or charge a load.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the means for detecting a frequency is coupled to each of the first and second antenna.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein the means for detecting a frequency is configured to detect a frequency of substantially 6.78 MHz of the second antenna.

49. The device of claim 46, further comprising a synchronous rectifier coupled between the second antenna and the wireless power circuit.

50. The device of claim 46, further comprising means for tuning coupled between the first antenna and the means for communication and means for filtering coupled between the second antenna and the means for wirelessly receiving power.